Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with polymorphic expression. B cells have an essential contribution in immune system activation via the production of different cytokines and functioning as potent antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, a drug that particularly targets B cells may represent an ideal therapeutic approach for SLE. Rituximab (RTX), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody causing transient B-cell depletion, has been used to manage SLE. This study aims to assess Rituximab effects on lupus nephritis (LN) patients when added to conventional immunosuppressants. Twenty four patients, 15-32 years old, with class III/IV/V LN were involved in this study. All were on steroids before lupus nephritis occurrence. They were given rituximab induction therapy and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance therapy. RTX was indicated for refractory and relapsing SLE. Several investigations done before and after RTX treatment and in the last follow up (done one year after starting Rituximab). Those included protein in urine, serum creatinine, double stranded DNA, C3, C4, and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR). Proteinuria decreased significantly after RTX treatment and in the last measurement (P=0.01 and P=0.001, respectively). Serum creatinine significantly decreased only in the last measurement (P=0.02). Double stranded DNA decreased remarkably after treatment (P=0.01) with a further decrease in the last measurement (P=0.006). C3 and C4 increased after treatment but the increase was significant only for C3 (P=0.002) and this increase continues till the last measurement (P=0.0006). Active urine sediments found in fifteen patients and disappeared after RTX treatment. Rituximab can be promising in treating lupus nephritis when used along with traditional immunosuppressants. It can reduce disease activity and improve renal function in such patients.
Double drum dryer is operated for producing pregelatinized maize starches using feed starch slurries of different
solids(7, 10 and13 g/100 g )content . Steam pressure (2,3,and 4 bar), the level of pool between the drums (4,7,and 10
cm) , and speed of drums rotation (3,4,and 6 rpm) are varied together with the feed solids content in a practical range of
values. The response of the dryer is registered by measuring several output variables, i.e. external drum temperature,
product moisture content, mass flow rate.
Lying is a controversial issue as it is closely related to one's intended meaning to achieve certain pragmatic functions. The use of lying in literary works is closely related to the characters’ pragmatic functions as in the case of Miller's The Crucible where it is used as a deceptive complex phenomenon that cannot be observed out of context. That is, the use of lying as a deceptive phenomenon represents a violation to Grices's Maxims. Thus, the study aims to qualitatively examine the kinds of maxims being violated, the kinds of violations conducted, the strategies followed in the violations, and the pragmatic functions behind such violations across the different categories of lies. To this end, the (30) extracts fou
... Show MoreThe paper presents research results of the vibration transmitted from the steering wheel of the tractor with a 2-wheel drive to the driver’s hands. The vibration measurements were carried out on the tractor randomly chosen from the collage of agriculture / university of Baghdad. Before testing the tractor was examined and adjusted following the producer’s recommendations. The vibration levels were measured during the operation tillage at idling and at full load .The field was 31.7 m above level sea. Soil was treated at soil constant moisture (17-20 %) with depth of plowing (17 cm). During operation the weather temperature was measured (15 C) and humidity was ( 27 % ) The vibration level on the steering wheel was measured and analyzed .T
... Show MoreThis article investigates the decline of language loyalty in the age of audiovisual nearness. It is a socio-linguistic review of previous literature related to language disloyalty. It reviews the current theoretical efforts on the impact of audiovisual nearness created by social media and language loyalty. The descriptive design is used. The argument behind this review is that the audiovisual nearness provided by social media negatively affects language loyalty. This article concludes that the current theoretical efforts have paid much attention to the relationship between the audiovisual nearness and language loyalty. Such efforts have highlighted the fact that the social media platforms have provided unprecedented nearness that provoke in
... Show MoreThree-dimensional cavity was investigated numerical in the current study filled with porous medium from a saturated fluid. The problem configuration consists of two insulated bottom and right wall and left vertical wall maintained at constant temperatures at variable locations, using two discretized heaters. The porous cavity fluid motion was represented by the momentum equation generalized model. The present investigation thermophysical parameters included the local thermal equilibrium condition. The isotherms and streamlines was used to examine energy transport and momentum. The meaning of changing parameters on the established average Nusselt number, temperature and velocity distribution are highlighted and discussed.
Humor is an interesting phenomenon that has been studied widely, yet it is considered a universal trait that cannot be an old subject for a study. This study is conducted to investigate humor from a universal pragmatic lens in a stand-up comedy show, namely, You Wanna Hear Something Crazy?. It aims to study humor as a coin with two sides, the production side and the understanding side. To achieve the aim of the study, the researchers use an eclectic contains Grice’s CP model (1975) and Habermas’s UP model (1979, 1984, 1987, 1998). The study has noted that while using the observance and the non-observance of the cooperative maxims to produce humor, the universal validity claims of truth, sincerity, and normative rightness for rea
... Show MorePurpose To test the effect of strategic Supremacy on strategic success A case study in Thi Qar Governorate, methodology/approach – this is a mandatory entry.
a case study was used and applied to the Department managers of Government of the province of Thi Qar, Research limitations/implications – It is clear that the strategic Supremacy variable is not being used effectively to achieve strategic success.
Practical implications – use strategic supremacy positively to Support for strategic success. implementing and monitoring ignorance of them in how to use thi
... Show MoreRealizing the full potential of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) highlights many design issues, particularly the trade-offs concerning multiple conflicting improvements such as maximizing the route overlapping for efficient data aggregation and minimizing the total link cost. While the issues of data aggregation routing protocols and link cost function in a WSNs have been comprehensively considered in the literature, a trade-off improvement between these two has not yet been addressed. In this paper, a comprehensive weight for trade-off between different objectives has been employed, the so-called weighted data aggregation routing strategy (WDARS) which aims to maximize the overlap routes for efficient data aggregation and link cost
... Show MoreThe significance of the research conducted in northern Iraq comes despite the expansion of afforestation projects; yet, the suffering of the forests has increased due to their lack of scientific study, unpredictability of the climate, and adverse effects on the spread and growth of plant species Therefore, the goal of the study is to understand the effects of afforestation through a statistical analysis of plant diversity in northern Iraq and its distinctivenessThe analysis revealed that natural groupings had improved qualitatively more than other groups, particularly some dwindling species that are able to compete and occupy new areas. drought-prone vegetation, vegetation, and climat